Hand in Hand
by Shadow's Interceptor
Summary: How does one grieve when they are supposed to stay strong? In silent isolation. How does one offer comfort to that which terrifies them beyond all else? In silent companionship.


_Fun fact, this story sat unfinished on my computer for more than five years. Then one day recently I sat up and realized I knew how it ended. So here you go, I hope you enjoy it!_

 _I do not own Fire Emblem._

 _0 0 0_

Huey fussed and fretted for ages before Florina was able to calm him down enough so she could leave for the night. By the time she started to make her way back to the tent she shared with her sisters the camp was virtually empty, with everyone having retreated to the relative warmth of the shelters hours before. But it was not only the cold that they were escaping. Since that afternoon . . . since Oswin had revealed that terrible news . . . the atmosphere of the camp had been as grey as the threatening sky looming above them. It did not matter that most of the army had never met Lord Uther- even so they knew his death was a terrible blow for all of Lycia. But for those of them who had known him, the loss was staggering.

And no one, Florina observed, took it harder than Hector. In the months since Lyndis's Legions joined up with Eliwood and Hector's army she had seen the young lord who both terrified and fascinated her react to many different situations- more often than not with his formidable temper leading the way. But as soon as Oswin reluctantly shared the news, rather than shout and rage about the unfairness of life or even shed a few tears as Florina would have expected, Hector became extremely quiet. He refused to speak to anyone, even Eliwood. The last she knew Hector had been sitting alone by one of the fires silently staring into the dancing tongues of flame.

As if acting of their own accord Florina's legs took her a different route towards her tent. She tiptoed through the camp rather than around it or, more specifically, past the area where the communal fires had been lit some hours before. He was still there, a formless mound in the grey darkness staring into the embers' dying light. She stopped and stared at Hector's unmoving back. The young lord's head was bowed towards the paltry heat given off by the fire's glowing remains. Though Florina watched him for several minutes he did not stir.

It would be easy to keep going on her way. Hector hadn't noticed her come and he certainly wouldn't notice her leave. It was late, she should be getting back to her tent before Farina and Fiora started to worry. He wanted to be alone all day so of course he would want to stay alone now. These and a hundred more reasons to leave ran through her head, but Florina did not move. This couldn't be Hector, the brash man who led them fearlessly into battle despite the odds. Florina wasn't sure Hector knew how to calculate odds or whether he would care about them if he could! It wasn't right to see him lost like this. He needed ... he needed ... something. What did she need when she was sad? A hug from her sisters, a flight on her pegasus, a good long cry with someone close by telling her everything would be alright. Florina couldn't imagine any of these things bringing comfort to Hector.

But still she wrung her hands in worry; she couldn't leave him like this. Very slowly Florina tip toed to Hector's side. He sat hunched over on the cold dirt with his knees tucked up under his chin. If he noticed her presence he made no indication. Timidly Florina lowered herself to the ground beside him. Her heart beat like a drum in her chest as she tried hard and failed to ignore the fact that even while sitting he dwarfed her in every way shape and form. He was _huge_ and _scary_ and _male_ but those were no reasons to leave him alone in his despair.

She ought to do something more, Florina mused. Talk to him, tell him things would get better, give him a hug, tell a joke, make him laugh or smile or something. That's what he would do for an upset friend. But all of those things were _far_ beyond Florina's comfort level with any man, in particular with a man as, for lack of a better term, _manly_ as Hector. Stupid, stupid fear making her unable to do what should be something as easy as blinking! As it was it took her close to ten minutes just to gather enough courage to rest one tiny hand on Hector's knee.

Florina let out a little squeak of shock when Hector's large hand moved to cover hers. Had she not frozen in panic at the contact she would have torn away and sprinted full speed towards her tent. He made no move to actually hold her hand, just rested his enormous paw on top of it. I know you're here, the gesture said. In a few minutes Florina's rapid breathing slowed and her galloping heart subsided to a more reasonable rate. It might not be a hug, but maybe Hector would realize that this was the best she could do? He made no move to affirm this and she made no attempt to ask.

They sat till the last faint light from the coals faded away into blackness. With the light and source of warmth gone Florina was suddenly conscious of the late hour and the chill wind that plucked at her loose flying hair. She shivered in spite of herself.

She heard rather than saw Hector shifting beside her. The rustle of cloth lead her to believe he must have been freeing his cloak from whatever odd position it had twisted into upon his sitting down hours before. The hand covering hers pressed down slightly and Florina tensed in response. She looked up at the dim outline that was Hector's head. From the shape of the silhouette she could tell he was looking down at her.

"Stay?" Had the man been on his knees begging before her the request could not have been more poignant. The pain, the desire for someone to be with him in this time of tragedy was conveyed in absolute perfection through that single word. Hector was not a man to admit he needed help but . . . it hurt so much. It hurt and he couldn't take it and he wanted, _needed_ someone to tell him he wasn't alone.

Florina's response was a whisper on the wind. "Okay."

Slowly Hector used his free hand to drape his cloak over her shoulders. Though the thick fabric and Hector's radiating body heat drove the cold away in minutes Florina continued to tremble. But in time even that stopped. Eventually Hector's chin dropped to his chest and Florina felt her eyes growing heavy with sleep. Just as Hector started to snore Florina gave in to exhaustion and timidly rested her head against his shoulder before drifting off. They stayed like that till morning, where Eliwood found them huddled fast asleep under Hector's dew damp cloak: side by side, hand in hand.


End file.
